Resilient mounting for washing-machine plungers



June 21; 1927. 1,632,943

E. F. BEEBE RESILIENT MOUNTING,FOR WASHING MACHINE PLUNGERS Filed Sept.14. 1925 I N VEN 7M'OR fZ/GE/VE 5555:

Br MM XTToR/VE ms Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES EUGENE ii. .IBEEBE, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

RESILIEN'J. MOUNTING E133 WASHING-MACHINE PLUNGERS.

Application filed September 14, 1925. Serial No. 56,241.

This invention relates to an improved resilient mounting for a plungeror similar member, and more particularly relates to such a deviceadapted for use on washmg machines of the type disclosed in my UnitedStates Patent No. 1,135,565, to yieldably support the usual vacuum'cupsor clothes pounders operatively mounted withln the machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a resilient mounting forplungers constructed in such a manner that the relative movement of theplunger within its supporting means may be considerably increasedwithout increasing'the length of the supporting means and Without dangerof weakening the spring elements mounted therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a resilient mounting forp-lungers comprising a plurality oftelescoping members having springelements interposed therebetween tending normally to retain the membersin closed normal position.

A further and more specific object is to provide such a mounting havinga plurality of different sized spring elements mounted therein and oneof said elements being of a relatively larger diameter and arranged toencircle the other elements.

A further object is to provide such a structure of simple andinexpensive construction, comprising fewfpa'rts, and all of such partsbeing readily interchangeable.

The particular object of the invention, therefore, is to provide animproved resilient' mounting for 'plungers' whereby he resilientlongitudinal movement of the plungers within their mountings may berelatively increased without' adding to the length ofthe supportingmeans, and also without danger of impairing the operation of the springelements mounted therein, thereby providing such a device particularlywell adapted for use in washing machines of the above 'me'ntionedtype toresiliently support the plungers therein.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings and will bep ointed out in theannexed claims. I 1

In the drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed tocarryout the various objects of the invention but, it is to beunderstood that the inventionis not confined to the exact features shownas various having a cover 13 arrangedto provide a closure for the tub.The usual mechanism changes may be made within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

In the accompanying part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a washing machine showing myinvention apdrawlngs forming plied to the plungers thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the generalconstruction of one of the resilient mountings;

Figure 3 1s a detail view, partially 1n section, showing the plungerpartlally compressed;

Flgure 4 1s a plan vlew of Figure 2, partially in section, showing thespring retaining nut mounted in the device;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the nut removed from the device; and jFigure 6 is a detail sectional view of the upper portion of the springsupporting barrel or cylinder showing the bayonet slots provided thereinfor demountably locking the spring-retaining ring thereto.

. In the selected embodiment ofthe invention here shown for purposes ofdisclosure, there is illustrated a Washingmachine. of

the type above mentioned. comprising atub 11 mounted upon a suitableframe 12 and 14 for, rotating the tub 11 is shown mounted upon the frame12 beneath theftub.

The type of machine here shown comprises a pair of vacuum cups 15securedto the lower ends of a pair of plungers 16 which are yieldablysupported upon a pair of parallel arms as shown in Figure 1. The upperlink 18 is pivotally mounted upon a standard 19 by means ofa pin 21while the lower link 18 is terminally mounted upon a rock shaft 22-having its opposite end operatively connected to a suitable drivingmechanism, not shown. Elongated openings or slots 23 are provided in.the cover 13 to permit the resilient plunger mountings and the lower arm18 to operate through the cover as shown. I

An important feature of this invention-resides in the novel constructionof the plunger mountings and the means provided therein for relativelyincreasing the resilient movement of the plungers 16 with relation totheir supporting means, which. resilient movement is usually provided toprevent damaging the machine when one of the vacuum cups engages aquantity of clothes in the bottom of the tllllyWlllCll is of sufficientdepth or size to preventfthecup from being moved to the bottom of itsnor- 1nal stroke, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. lVashingmachines of this type are therefore usuallyprovided withspring supportedplungers to thus permit the downward movement ofthe cups to beinterrupted before their supporting means have completed their downwardncrement.

Heretofore, difliculty has also been experi- 'th'is invention isparticularly adapted for use to overcome the above difficulties, and

comprises a tubular or cylindrical inember 2 1 having itslower end boredto receive the plunger 16 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A sleeve 251sreciprocally mounted within the cylinder 24 and has an 'annularoutwardly extending flange 26 provided on the lower end thereof whichfunctions to provide a seat for a compression spring 27, and also toprovide a guide forfth'e lowerend of the sleeve. "The upper end of thesleeve 25 is tion' 28f0f the plunger 16. A look ring or nut 29, havingopposed'lugs 31 formed thereon, is demountably mounted in then per openend of the cylinder 24 to 'provic e a seat for the upper endofthe spring27 and also toretain itin position therein. The lugs 31 are adapted tobe seated in bayonet slots provided in the inner wall ofthe cylinder 24:adjacent the upper end-portion thereof as shown in Figure 6. g

The bore 33 of the sleeve 25is of a relatively larger diameter than thediameter "of the plunger 16 so asto receive a relatively smallcompression spring 34 coiled about the upper endportion 28 of theplunger 16 and having its upper end seated against a shoulder 35 anditslowerend a ain'sta suq'wort ing pin 36, fixedly mounted in theplunger16 as shown in Figure 2; A cushion spring 37 is also coiled about theplunger 16 and is interposed between the supporting 36 and the lowerface 38 of. the cylinder 24.

Suitable apertured'lugs89 are formed on ,the cylinder. 24 to providemeans for connecting the cylinder to the 'forlred ends fll 1 of theparallel arms 18;

In the operation of this novel lunger mounting, the parts willfbe assemled asshown in Figure '2 wherein the darts are shown in normal positionand-a l of the I lifted from the clothes. v bored as at 25 to receivethe upper end-poi 1 for repairs or forotherreasons; y

a I claim as newand springs arepreferably under tension. This willreadily be seen as a: result of the relatively larger spring-27 tendingto force the a sleeve 25 downwardly against the tension of thespring34,. .whichiobviously acts against the tension of the cushion spring 37seated uponthe fare 3B ofthecyl-inder 34. When the plungerisdownwardlymoved as shown on the left hand side of Figure 1, and thevacuum cup engages a quantrty of clothes and is prevented from furtherdownward movement,the cylinder 24 willcontinue its downwardmovelnent asaresult of itspivotal connection with the arms 18. uch continued downwardmovement of the cylinder 24 will cause the upper end-portion 28 of theplunger 16 to be projected out of the upper end of the sleeve 25, whichsleeve likewise will be projected from-the end of the cylin- 'der24, asparticularly shown in Figures 1 initting the cylinder to 'completefitsjstroke without danger or damaging the operating fmechanism ofth'emachine. As soon as the cylinder 24: starts its u ward movement" thesleeve 25 and the en -portionf"28 of the plunger 16 will recede to theirnormal positions, shown on the right side of Figure 1 and in Figure 2,before the cup 1'5 will be Thus it will readily be mounting thecompression spring, 34fwithin the relativelylarger compre'ss'ionsprin lI I r 27 that the travel orf'relative movement og'theplunger 16 withrela tion tofthe cylinder 24i may be considerably increased withoutldanget of overloading the springs. Upon the upward stroke pr movementof the. plunger the cushion' spring 37 may befsufbjectedto'a slight loadasa result of thesuction or' vacm uum created in the cups in liftingthem out" of the water, git-will also be noted that the plunger "will,be' su ported entirely u' Ion springs so that it wil be free 'to movewit in 29' provides means'iwherelg v a "thekm u n may readily bedisassemble In the drawings I have shown tion as applied toa Washingmachine, but it is to be understood thatits' use may be extended forother purposes without departijn from the invention;

aving thus descrihed my invention'whati de ire to secure by. Let- 1 tersPatent ist; 1. A device or the class scrib d including a cylinder having;.a plurality, of telescoping members mounted th'ereimf one[ofthemembers twinge" vacuum cup,- and the cylinder when en a'glin theclothes as shown in Figure 1. eloc ut ori'ring means for yieldablyretaining said members in normal retracted position.

2. A device of the class described including a cylinder, a plurality oftelescoping members mounted therein one of said members carrying a cup,and spring elements interposed between said members to normally retainthem in retracted position.

8. A resilient mounting for plungers, comprising in combination acylinder, a sleeve reciprocally mounted therein, a plunger arranged inthe sleeve said plunger having a washer element connected therewith,bearings in said cylinder and said sleeve for supporting the plunger,and spring elements interposed between the cylinder and the sleeve andalso between the sleeve and the plunger to normally retain said sleeveand said plunger in normal retracted position within the cylinder.

4. The combination with a cylinder, a sleeve slidable therein, of aplunger slidable in the sleeve and having a Washer element, a springadapted to be compressed by movement of said plunger in one direction,and a second spring adapted to be compressed simultaneously with saidfirst named spring to permit additional movement of said plunger.

5. In a washing machine, a cylinder mounted for vertical oscillation, asleeve mounted to slide vertically in said cylinder, a compressionspring normally resisting upward movement of said sleeve, a vacuum cuphaving a plunger slidable within said sleeve, and compression springs onsaid plunger between the cylinder and sleeve adapted to resist relativelongitudinal movement of said sleeve and plunger.

6. A device of the class described, including a cylinder, a sleeveslidable in said cylinder, a spring arranged to urge the sleeve towardone end of the cylinder, a plunger slidable through and guided in saidcylinder and sleeve, a pair of compression springs, each having one endabuttingly engaging the plunger, and having their 0pposite endsrespectively engaging the sleeve and cylinder.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day ofSeptember 1925.

EUGENE F. BEEBE.

